Ball State University experienced increases in scholarship fund gifts, the average dollar amount of alumni gifts, and the number of gifts from alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff during a Lilly Endowment Inc. program designed to boost giving to Indiana's public and private universities.

Ball State received $4,585,891 in private gifts between June 2002 and Dec. 31, the time frame of the Endowment's Special Initiative to Strengthen Philanthropy for Higher Education Institutions. The Endowment agreed to match up to $3.5 million in gifts made to each university in the state as long as the gifts were for academics and were broken down into three categories: $3 million from alumni; $250,000 from parents and students; and $250,000 from faculty and staff.

"Through the generosity of the entire Ball State community, the university exceeded the goals in each category," said Don Park, university vice president for advancement. "We are extremely grateful to those who gave during the initiative and to the Endowment, which continues to show a high level of commitment to higher education in Indiana."

While most of the gifts are earmarked for specific purposes, a portion of the funds were given for unrestricted use. Those funds, coupled with the $3.5 million matching gift from the Endowment, will be used to establish a merit scholarship program, recruiting high school students from Indiana and across the nation who have earned National Merit, National Achievement and National Hispanic scholar honors. In addition, the university will provide scholarships for at least two students annually from the Washington Metropolitan Scholars program, which rewards black high school seniors from the Washington, D.C., area who display outstanding academic and leadership abilities.

 The merit scholarship program is an excellent way to increase diversity and the academic strength of students, said Beverley Pitts, Ball State's acting president.

 "We are thankful that the Endowment's generosity will allow us to attract students who will provide significant leadership on campus," she said. "These students also help Ball State attract other outstanding students and create an environment that reinforces the academic challenges of a quality educational experience."

Among the highlights for Ball State during the initiative were:

• 48 new scholarship funds and scholarship endowments established
• the average alumni gift rose from $143 in 2001 to $167 in 2003
• 1,300 more alumni made gifts that qualified as matching gifts in 2003 compared to alumni gifts made in 2001
• the number of parents and family members contributing climbed 34 percent and the total that qualified as matching gifts soared 215 percent or $150,951
• nearly half the university's faculty and staff made a gift during the campaign
• the growth of student gifts outmatched all others, climbing from $185 total in 2001 to $85,505 during the initiative

The numbers illustrate how the potential for a matching gift inspired the university community to reach the initiatives goals, Park said.

"We saw benefactors make second gifts, former or lapsed donors contribute again, new alumni and parent benefactors support the university, and students make significant contributions," he said. "This initiative truly has strengthened philanthropy for Ball State, and the relationships we have established over the last 19 months will benefit the university for years to come."

Gift category	Total of Qualifying Matching Gifts
Alumni	$3,360,205
Parents and Family Members	$220,721
Students	$85,505
Faculty and Staff	$919,460

(Note to Editors: For more information on this story contact Park at (765) 285-1633 or dpark@bsu.edu.)